Band’s vocalist sets it apart from the rest

As with labelmates WEAVER and Applicat Spectra, ONE OK ROCK are set to perform in Singapore as part of their Start Walking the World Tour. Since its formation, the band has risen through the ranks and is now one of the more well-known rock bands from the Land of the Rising Sun. How do they stack up to the competition?

ONE OK ROCK is (currently) a 4-piece band formed in 2005, signed to label A-Sketch. With 4 albums and 9 released singles, it’s clear that OOR is the mainstay of the label. OOR’s music would bring many back to the days before the dawn of mainstream electronic music; the 4-piece band is all about rocking out.

Their most recent single, Re:make is a good example of this. Combining vocalist Taka’s vocals with the technical ability of the rest of the band. It makes for a polished sound that very much fits the band’s image.

One very prominent feature of the band that many notice as soon as they listen to a track is how different the vocals sound. Vocalist Taka sings in both Japanese and English; surprisingly, his English singing lacks any sort of accent. In a scene where poorly enunciated English is often a point of endearment to fans both inside and outside of Japan, this places the band in a weird position.

On one hand, the band is on a different level when it comes to vocals, but on the other, they end up sounding like every other contemporary English band. Perhaps this is the reason why OOR has so many fans outside of the country. Aside from Singapore, the band will also make stops in Korea and Taiwan on its tour.

Nevertheless, all bands sound different live. Personally, it’s hard to get straight rock wrong, and from the videos that A-Sketch have put up of the band, they do seem to be the best kind of band to see live. Their upcoming live at SCAPE Warehouse is sold out, and that’s certainly a testament to how many feel the same way. More information on the band can be obtained on their official site.

MusWriter who also doubles as the photographer during event coverage. Mus' interests in Japan lie in the language, literature, popular culture and underground rock bands. Having an academic background in Japan, Mus is also particularly interested in the study of Nihonjinron.